Carla Reyes comes to CeaseFirePA with a background in domestic violence advocacy and education with additional experience in quality assurance for child and family welfare services. As a strong advocate for survivors of relationship violence, they have spearheaded working groups, facilitated community education, and established widely shared resource lists in the hopes to create a safer world for those impacted by violence. During their time as an educator, Carla began to dive deeper into the ways different forms of violence are interconnected and the need for strong advocacy and policy, leading them to CeaseFirePA. As the Partnerships Coordinator, Carla works to develop common ground, drive partners to take action, and support advocacy and education activities.

While attending college in Pittsburgh, Carla was deeply impacted by the Tree of Life shooting. The initial fear and sadness they felt transformed into a push toward advocacy – a way to use their skills, experience, and passion to make a change in how communities can come together to address gun violence. 

Carla has been a proud Pennsylvania resident for 8 years and currently lives in Center City Philadelphia, though the Arizona desert where they were raised still holds a piece of their heart. Outside of work, they enjoy reading in the park, trying to find space in their Philly backyard to plant flowers, or calling their mom, sister, and niece (sometimes all at once).